Software Update
by ItDoesn'tMatterWhoIAm
Summary: An unintended software update becomes active and allows advanced models of androids to enter a type of reproductive cycle and grow new life inside of their bodies like a pregnant human would. Connor and Markus are both such models, but while Markus has made his decision regarding the new life Connor is unsure and scared of what he should do. (Mpreg. Don't like? Don't read!)
1. Diagnosis

A string of strange software updates and glitches were spreading through the city after the fall of Cyber Life. Hundreds of advanced models of androids were reporting issues with their self repair programs and having beta software that was never meant to be accessed had begun having effects on their bodies. Connor was of an advanced model and was beginning to feel physically strange too.

Connor had been experiencing a strange shift in his normal weight and a rapid depletion of his thirium reserves over the past five months. Dismissing the problems as a result of an error Connor realized he needed to go to an android clinic to see a technician before the errors became too severe.

Standing in his bedroom Connor rubbed his hand over his lower abdomen where a strange pressure had been building up and swell was causing his belly to distend. Embarrassed by his physically changing body Connor kept pulling his button down shirt out more and more to hide his steadily growing stomach and was upset to see the buttons being pulled taut.

Wearing a heavy coat Connor left the taxi and walked up to the clinic to be checked out. The coat hid his stomach well and no one gave him a second glance.

An android clerk noted Connor's arrival and confirmed his appointment time while Connor sat down in the waiting room beside the other androids. It was then he saw he wasn't the only android with a growing belly problem. Four other androids had oddly distended bellies. Two were females and two were males. The two females were a little bigger than Connor was and one of the males was a little smaller. The second male looked like his stomach had been inflated to an impossible size and Connor compared it to a ripe watermelon.

The android looked very uncomfortable and seemed to be in pain. Two androids came from the back with a stretcher and put the massive android over top before wheeling him into the back. Even while laying down the android's massive stomach seemed to be hanging off of him uncomfortable and weighing down on him in a painful and crushing manner.

"RK-800, Connor." The clerk nodded at him. "You're clear to go see the technician. Room five."

Pulling the coat rightly around himself Connor walked toward the corridor to see the technician in the fifth exam room. The door was already open and the technician was already inside.

"Don't be shy." She called out. "Come in."

Connor entered the room and closed the door behind him. "My name is Connor."

"I'm Dr. Clark. So what brings you by today Connor?"

"I seem to have an error in my abdominal cavity."

"Oh I see." She eyed his stomach which made him blush. "You're not the first."

"I'm not?"

"Nope. You're my fifth patient with this complaint today."

"Is it a virus?"

"No. It's just dormant software activating. I'd like to measure your stomach before I begin the exam."

"Is it necessary?"

"I already say don't be shy. I see hundreds of android bodies all day and you're not the first one with tummy-troubles."

"Very well." Taking off his coat Connor stood beside the table and held up his arms as Dr. Clark wrapped a tape measure around his belly and lined the tape up over his belly button. "My designated waistline has been set at thirty inches."

"Not anymore. You're up to thirty four inches."

"That's significant growth."

"Don't worry. It'll go away in time."

"There's a patch I can have?"

"No. You just need to let the software runs its course. Now lay down." She pulled the tape measure back. "I need to check your abdomen."

"For what?"

"Connor don't you understand what this software is?"

"I do not." He laid down on the table and stared at his distending stomach.

"This software activates android reproduction."

"Reproduction?"

"Yup."

"I am... pregnant?"

"Yup."

Connor looked afraid of his own body. "How is that possible?"

"The software uses your self repair program to regenerate a secondary smaller android inside your abdominal cavity." She sounded so casual. "The android fetus grows in a bio-component that originated from your self repair program creating a temporary incubator or uteran bio-component to allow the fetus to gestate."

Connor put his hand on his stomach then pulled it back fast.

"This is normal Connor. The software wasn't supposed to activate for another ten years but without Cyber Life to monitor android updates this software became activated through oversight."

"I can't be a detective if I'm pregnant."

"You won't be pregnant forever." She lifted up his shirt to look at his stomach directly. "I'm going to press down and check the size of the fetus."

"Fetus?"

"Officially known as a B.A. and the model number depends on the parent, which means you're carrying a BA-800. A Blastosphere Automaton."

Connor just watched as Dr. Clark pressed her fingertips along his swollen belly and pushed in just enough to feel the growing life inside of him.

"Oof! This baby is already nice and big!"

"How big?"

"I'd estimate you to be twenty two weeks along. A scan will confirm the age."

Watching the display monitor as Dr. Clark rolled to the exam table Connor didn't move as she pressed an ultrasound wand to his abdomen and rolled it around. An image appeared on the screen and it was oddly human.

"Oh, I'm mistaken. You're only eighteen weeks in, but like I said the baby is nice and big. Twenty two weeks to go."

Connor stared at the tiny humanoid shape on the screen and waited for it to move or do anything at all. "It's not moving."

"Unlike human fetuses that begin to visibly move around at this time android fetuses won't move until their thirium pump becomes active on its own. Right now it's your thirium pump that's cycling the thirium through its body."

"I am keep it alive... But why isn't the pump active?"

"It's downloading all the programs, files and software from you right now. Such a feat will take a lot of energy and that's something the fetus doesn't have but you do. So it's using your energy to finish downloading everything it needs before it really begins to grow."

"When will the pump activate and how big will it get? I saw one android who looked enormous."

"In about two weeks the thirium pump will become active and soon after you'll feel it moving. About four days after you detect a thirium pump beat from the fetus it's going to start growing and it's going to get a lot bigger a lot faster. But the overall size is different for every android."

"You said it's already big."

"It is. But it needs to be bigger before it'll be strong enough to be born."

"...Born? I have to give birth?"

"Your software will register when it's safe for the baby to be born and you'll be able to initiate labor when it's convenient. As for the birth itself you can deliver in the "natural" sense or we can remove it with a c section."

"...What if I don't want it at all?"

"Well we can help you out with that too."

"How?"

"I can remove it from your system now and-"

"Will it die?"

"No. It won't be a complete android if it's removed now, but it will live."

"I don't want to harm it."

"Then you can come back when the pump becomes active and we can put it in an external incubator to finish its growth here in the facility."

"Then what will happen to it?"

"It'll go to a care facility until it matures."

"No. I can't abandon it either."

"Connor you have time to think. Go home and think it over."

Sitting up slowly Connor pulled down his shirt and looked at the bulge in his stomach with a worried stare. He wasn't designed for childcare or anything of that nature. Connor wasn't meant to have a baby, and yet he was now carrying one inside of his body.

"Yes. I will think this through Dr. Clark. Thank you for the diagnosis."

* * *

Returning to the house where he had taken up residence with Hank since the revolution Connor walked to the front door and kept his hand to his distended stomach as he walked. As he opened the door he was greeted by Hank's voice from the kitchen.

"Get your system fixed up?"

"Not yet."

"But you will get it fixed right?"

"Yes."

"That's good. I don't want the bullpen thinking I talked you into growing a beer gut."

Walking into the kitchen Connor stared down at his stomach and swore it had gotten bigger since his diagnosis. "But it won't go away for another twenty two weeks."

"Why?"

"Hank this growth isn't a glitch. It's a program that was designed to activate but..."

"But what?"

"...I don't want what's happening to me to happen to me."

"So what're you going to do about it?"

"I don't know."

"Is there something really wrong with you?"

"...You could say that."

"Connor what's going on?"

"I..." Connor dropped his hand from his stomach and tried to ignore the growth hanging off of his frame. "I'm going through a reproductive cycle."

"What does that mean."

"...It means that I am..." His hand went back to his stomach as he talked. "pregnant."

**-next chapter-**


	2. Weighing Options

A lengthy explanation and a few awkward questions later left Connor feeling more confused and self conscious than ever. Sitting down at the kitchen table he held his hand to his stomach and stared at the table without making a sound.

"Your body made room for this android fetus and its going to keep growing like any organic creature?"

"Yes. When I began to experience the unexplained pressure in my abdominal cavity I deactivate the metal paneling to try to ease the discomfort and in turn I gave the uteran bio-component room to grow. With the panel the fetus began pushing out against my synthetic skin and is now becoming visible. I didn't know this was happening until I went to the clinic."

"You don't owe me an explanation Connor. I just want to help."

"I don't think you can."

"Okay so androids can get pregnant now, and a lot of the androids in this city are just that. Pregnant." Hank was trying to be the voice of reason. "So that means what's happening to you is normal."

Connor stayed quiet and kept his hand on his stomach.

"So what're you going to do?"

"...I don't know."

"Why not? You always have ideas and solutions."

"Not this time."

"Okay let me try to help. Do you want to get rid of it?"

"No! That would be cruel and unfair to it."

"Do you want to keep it?"

"No... I don't know how to raise a child."

"Are you going to give it up for adoption?"

"Unlikely. Humans are less likely to adopt android babies out of fear of discrimination or being mistakenly labeled as something inappropriate."

"What about other androids?"

"If they can have their own children there is an even less likely chance they will adopt."

"What happens if you put the... baby up for adoption without a parent already lined up?"

"It'll go to a care wing at a facility in the city until it's legally an adult."

"And how long does that take?"

Connor's hand pressed harder against his stomach. "Eighteen years."

"Androids will age like humans?"

"The ones that are born through this type of reproduction will. They will stop aging at twenty five and appear as any other manufactured android."

"That means when they're born they'll look and behave like a human baby?"

"Yes. They will also reach milestones and grow like a human infant would."

Hank saw the fear in Connor's eyes and hated it. "I hate to say this but you look and sound like one of the young women I've helped after they were sexually assaulted. They needed time and guidance to make a decision too."

"My time is limited Hank. I'm forty two percent of the way through my gestation and didn't even know it until this afternoon."

"Why don't you go lay down and think about your choice?"

"I have been thinking but I don't know what I'm going to do."

"So keep thinking. The answer will come to you."

Standing up slowly from the table Connor walked toward the livingroom but Hank stopped him from reaching to couch. "Go lay down in my room and my bed."

"Your room?"

"You need some space so take it. I've been meaning to clean out the guest room anyway."

"You don't have to go out of your way to accommodate me."

"You're my friend so I'm going to do whether I have to or not. Now go lay down and think. I'll be out here if you need anything." Hank waited until Connor was down the hallway and had closed the door before he made a move for his phone. "He needs someone to talk to. Someone who's going through this too."

* * *

Over the next week Connor monitored his growth and the activity of the developing android baby in his swelling belly. Standing in front of the mirror in the bathroom he pulled up his t-shirt and pressed his hand against his lower stomach where he noted an additional quarter inch of growth to his waistline as his bio-component began to fill with additional fluid and expand further.

"Connor come out to the livingroom." Hank called through the closed door.

"I am coming." Dropping his shirt he opened the door and stepped out into the hallway to get to the livingroom. "Markus?"

"Hi Connor." Markus was sitting in the chair beside the couch and had his hand pressed to his own bigger belly.

Connor immediately noticed Markus's larger stomach and asked about it. "...You too?"

"Yes, I'm twenty three weeks along. Pretty incredible isn't it?"

"That's not the term I'd use."

"That's what Hank told me when he called. He said you might need someone to talk to so you could feel better."

"I'm feeling fine all things considered. I just can't decide what I'm going to do with it."

"Then sit down and I'll help you. How far along are you?"

Connor sat down on the couch and compared his belly to Markus. Despite being four weeks behind Connor's belly was already as big as Markus's belly if not a little bigger. "I'm nineteen weeks."

"Then you should detect the baby's thirium pump activating soon. Then that's when you'll feel kicking."

"You can feel it moving?"

"He's moving right now."

As Markus lifted up his shirt to reveal the swell of his stomach Connor saw a squirm of movement under his skin and flinched. "Does it hurt?"

"No. It feels incredible! Want to feel for yourself?"

"...Not really."

"It's okay you don't have to."

"What are you going to do with the baby once its born?"

"Raise it as my own. So will North."

"She wants to have the baby too?"

"She IS having a baby too."

"...I thought only advanced models had this particular software update."

"That's right but as it turns out I was carrying TWINS."

"Twins?"

"When their pumps activated North took one baby and I kept the other. It's kind of a relief too. I was twice as big as I am now when I had them both."

"You're carrying twins together?"

"Yeah. I'm carrying our son and she's carrying our daughter."

"You'll give birth at the same time?"

"That's the plan! We want the twins to stay twins after all."

"And you're going to raise them both as your own children?"

"Yeah. It's going to be great."

"...How long did it take you to decide?"

"After the initial shock about discovering I was pregnant wore off we sat and talked it out for about a month and then decided to keep the baby. Then when I went in for my first scan and they detected the second baby we had another talk and settled on us each carrying a baby to term."

"You make it sound simple."

"Trust me when I tell you it wasn't. When'd you find out you were pregnant?"

"...Last week."

"Give yourself more time to think. You'll know what to do."

"Thanks Markus."

"and if you need to talk again just call me." He stood up from the chair and pressed his palm to his belly to rub it. "I'm going to head out to New Jericho and help redesign the interior of the church to accommodate an android daycare for our people."

"That sounds... productive."

"See you later Connor."

"Goodbye."

Looking down at his stomach again Connor pressed his palm against it and sighed at the lack of give to the mound in his lower abdomen and ran a scan over his belly. There was no thirium pump beat yet which meant the baby was still downloading everything it needed to survive from Connor. If he chose to place it an incubator and give it to another android he'd still have to wait.

"What am I going to do with you?"

**-next chapter-**


	3. Making A Plan

Another week passed and Connor steadily grew. With a noticeable paunch to even passersby Connor struggled to keep his belly covered under his work shirts and tried to go about his business at the police department despite his new condition.

Connor was sitting at his desk and typing up a report when he felt a sudden twitch in his stomach and felt something flutter and heard something rumble.

"What's wrong?" Hank noticed that something was bothering Connor right away.

"I don't know."

"Go to the men's room and see if you can find a problem. It's private in there."

"What if I don't want to stand up?"

"Connor everyone knows that androids can get pregnant now. It's not a secret that you're one of them."

Connor pressed his hand to his distended stomach and rubbed it lightly with his fingertips. "I don't want to get stared at."

"Pull your jacket around yourself and walk to the bathroom. Don't give a fuck what other people think about you."

Listening to Hank's advice Connor got up from his chair and pulled his jacket his around his bigger stomach as much as possible before he walked to the men's restroom on the other side of the floor. Entering the somewhat private room Connor locked himself in the stall on the farthest side of the restroom and pulled back his jacket to run his hand over his rounding belly.

Unfastening his belt Connor pulled his shirt up and over his stomach to reveal the swell as he pressed his palm against the top of the dome. Running a scan on the swelling bump Connor was met with a confirmed thirium pump beat meaning the fluttering feeling he had experienced was his baby starting to kick.

"No..."

Connor stared at his belly as he watched a bulge push out near his bellybutton and distend his already distended belly at an odd shape.

"Why did you have to start moving now?"

A low gurgle sounded off from his stomach causing Connor to jump and put his other hand to the side of his stomach as the gurgle was accompanied by a strange pressure. He could see and feel his stomach being stretched out and pushing away from his frame as more fluid filled the uteran bio-component to make it bigger so his baby could grow bigger inside.

Feeling weak and unusual Connor tucked his shirt back down and refastened his belt, now one notch looser, and tried to mask the fear in his eyes even though he knew his yellow LED was going to give it away.

Walking out of the bathroom Connor made his way back toward his desk and whispered to Hank. "Can we go home?"

"What's wrong?"

"...The baby... it's..."

"Connor?"

Connor's LED went red and his legs buckled as he collapsed backward.

"Shit!"

Moving quickly Hank caught his passed out partner and held him in his arms. Staring at Connor's face Hank instinctively put his hand on Connor's swollen belly and felt the baby kicking.

"Someone call an ambulance!" Hank shouted to the other officers. "Connor's sick!"

Pulling his coat from the back of his chair Hank put it over Connor to hid hide his stomach from prying eyes until help arrived.

* * *

Connor woke up in the back of the ambulance with his shirt pulled open and a fetal heart monitor attached to his round belly. Before he could sit up or rip the monitor from his stomach Hank grabbed his shoulder and held him back.

"Lay still. You're almost at the clinic."

"Hank I don't want to go there."

"You passed out and your pregnant. You need to get checked out."

"No! I don't want to be seen like this!"

"Connor you're going."

The paramedics who responded to the call were consulting with a technician at a clinic over their radio and listening to Connor's belly with a stethoscope. They were listening for the heartbeat that Connor had only recently become aware of.

"Hank this baby is healthy and growing normally. I don't need to go."

"But are you healthy? That's the question."

"I'm fine."

"Then why did you pass out?"

"...I don't know."

"Well then we're going to find out."

The ambulance reached the clinic and Connor was lowered from the back to be wheeled inside the building. Hank put his coat back over Connor to help hide his stomach and followed his partner to the exam room as moral support.

Dr. Clark was the technician on call and eager to check over Connor as he was placed on her exam table. "I can see you're growing steadily so that's a good sign. What else have you experienced since our last appointment?"

"The thirium pump became active this afternoon. I can feel it kicking. And my stomach is... growling."

"That will explain why you collapsed." She pressed her hands along his belly and pushed in as she gauged the baby's size and weight. "Your thirium got too low. You need to drink more and keep close tabs on your reserves. What it isn't going to your system is going to go straight to the baby to keep it fed, and its going to keep adding fluid to the uteran bio-component so it can expand."

"I just need more thirium?"

"Yes. Your stomach growling is your systems way of letting you know that your volume is getting low and needs to be restored. When your stomach growls drink thirium." She pulled back her hands and prepared for another scan on his abdomen. "The baby is still nice and big and I can feel it kicking. Very strong, very active and very healthy."

"How much bigger am I going to get?"

"It's hard to say because it's different for everyone. In your case I'd say you're going to gain an impressive size because of how big the baby is already."

"I don't want to get any bigger. This is already uncomfortable and I can't move quickly."

"Sorry Connor. It's going to happen no matter what."

Connor sighed and resisted the urge to put his hand on his stomach as the technician performed the ultrasound.

"Interesting. The baby is already taking up the entirety of the uteran bio-component which means you're going to need to drink a lot more thirium to give it the room it needs to grow.

Hank finally spoke up as he saw the fear in Connor's eyes. "What if he doesn't want to go through with this?"

"We can put the baby in an external incubator and keep it here."

"Forever?"

"Until it matures."

"And you're just going to take care of the baby and let it live here for eighteen years?"

"No. The baby will stay in Cyber Life's care but live in a special complex on the outside of town."

"Like foster care."

"Essentially yes. But without the adoption."

"Why's that?"

"If the parent doesn't want custody then Cyber Life takes custody instead."

"That's not custody. That's a company buying a product. Androids are supposed to be alive."

"They are. And it's Connor's choice how this life is handled."

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"You're trying to guilt him into keep the baby even if he doesn't want it. You're as bad as those doctors and nurses who bully assaulted teens and young women into keeping their kids after they've been sexually assaulted."

"I'm not trying to do that."

"But you are drilling it in that if Connor gives up his kid then he'll never see it again. That's manipulation 101 lady."

Connor glanced at the ultrasound monitor and watched as his baby kicked on the display. "...I want to leave."

Hank nodded. "Come on. We'll get you some more thirium and get your volume back to where it should be."

Connor sat up slowly and rebutton his shirt as Dr. Clark pulled back the ultrasound wand. With Hank's help he slid off the table and held Hank's coat in front of his belly to hide it again.

* * *

"That sucked. Especially since you're now on maternity leave because you passed out." Hank stated bluntly as he and Connor took a cab back to the station. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know."

"Connor I can see you're afraid to have this baby and I can see you're afraid of what's going to happen to the baby if you're not there to protect it. You're scared and you're confused, but that's normal."

"Hank I don't know anything about taking care of children."

"No one does in the beginning. It's something you learn over time."

"What if I can't learn?"

Hank watched as Connor rubbed his palm over his stomach then jumped when he felt a kick. Hank could even see the kick as it pushed against Connor's hand and threatened to pop the button open on the shirt just by pressing against it.

"Connor what if I took the baby?"

"...You'd do that?"

"I loved being a dad and I would love the chance to do it again. I wasn't the best dad in the city but I know I'm better than a corporation."

"...Thank you."

"So that's a yeah? You'll sign over custody to me once its born?"

"...Yes. I trust you."

"Alright now you can stop worrying about it."

A low grumble came from Connor's stomach as his belly shifted forward and pressed firmly against the buttons on the shirt over top of it.

"Let's pick up the car and stock up on thirium. It sounds like your both starving."

**-next chapter-**


	4. Growing

Having been forced onto maternity leave Connor stayed hidden away in his bedroom at the house and continuously monitored his progress as his gestation continued on at a healthy rate. A full month had passed since his collapse at the precinct and in that time his belly had grown considerably to a very prominent size and was visible no matter what clothing Connor tried to wear. Being twenty four weeks pregnant and undergoing weekly growth spurts had exhausted Connor's thirium supply quickly and he was almost always drinking thirium to silence his growling stomach and feed his growing baby.

Laying on his back on his bed Connor rubbed his left hand over the dome of his belly and felt the baby squirming about in response to his touch. The black t shirt he was wearing was pulled tight like he was smuggling a basketball under his shirt and the waistband of his sweat pants were resting just below the round swell of his pregnant belly allowing a sliver of his bare, stretched flesh to be seen between the two garments. A faint blue line was forming vertically over his stomach just above and below his belly button as he continued to grow.

As the baby kicked under his hand Connor watched his entire belly shifting and bulging out at odd places as the baby moved and stretched out as much as possible in the simultaneously growing and shrinking uteran bio-component as it sought more more.

"I know you're uncomfortable in there." Connor started talking to the baby to try to bond a little. "I'm uncomfortable too. You have to grow for another sixteen weeks before you can be born safely."

A low growl escaped Connor's stomach as he thirium volume lowered and his belly gurgled as the uteran bio-component began to fill with more fluid. It scared Connor whenever he saw his belly visibly growing and stretching out a little more with each growth spurt he experienced, and the increasing weight only made him feel all the more frightened.

"Please don't kick so much. It's starting to hurt."

Another growl and more frantic kicking told him that he needed to drink the thirium now or else he'd never get any sleep.

"Okay. I'll get more thirium to drink."

Sitting up slowly and awkwardly Connor felt his slightly bigger belly drop down against his lap and watched his shirt rise up higher over his belly to show off his belly button. The waistband of his pants was resting lower thanks to the weight of his belly pushing it down more toward his hips. Turning to move his legs over the edge of his bed Connor stood up slowly and rocked his hips a little to distribute his newly gained weight more evenly.

As he walked out of his bedroom Connor could feel his belly bobbing up and down slightly with each step and it made him feel self conscious. The pregnant belly didn't jiggle or sway like flab but it did move about and shift just from being so big and distending so far out from his frame. Keeping one hand against the side of his belly Connor walked into the kitchen and found a pouch of fresh thirium in a cupboard with all the soup cans on the top shelf.

"I've been going through a month's worth of thirium in a week because of you."

Tearing open the top of the pouch Connor drank the blue liquid quickly and was rewarded with another growl from his stomach. Taking a second pouch Connor drank it down just as quickly and went for a third one for good measure. Half way through the third pouch Connor felt a strange cool pressure forming against the front of his distended belly and looked down to see that by drinking so much thirium he had engorged his stomach and made his belly distended further outward to press against the side of the countertop.

"...I'm going to explode before this baby is born."

"Pregnant women 'popping' is supposed to be a metaphor, nothing literal." Hank announced his presence. "Are you okay?"

"Baby was hungry. I didn't mean to wake you."

Hank watched as Connor rubbed his hand against his large belly and turned around to face him. "Fuck. You're sure you're not carrying twins?"

"I'm sure. It's just one very big baby. I just had another little growth spurt."

"Little?" From where he stood Hank could see the baby kicking and pushing out against Connor's dome like stomach with painful bulges. "Jeez. It looks like that baby is going to deliver itself through a c section."

"Unlikely."

"I'll go and grab you more thirium from the store tomorrow. I'll grab you a couple larger shirts too. You've outgrown your entire wardrobe in less than a month."

"I can just wear a hoodie to cover my stomach."

"Not at this rate. You look like you're eight months in and not six."

"As I said it's a very big baby."

"And strong. I can see it kicking you from over here."

"Now that I've drank some thirium the baby should quiet down and enter rest mode."

"Does it hurt you?"

"It's uncomfortable and only painful when it kicks in the same place too many times."

"...Can I feel?"

"You want to feel the baby kicking?"

"Sure. I'm going to be the one adopting it and raising it after you give birth."

"Alright." Walking over to Hank Connor lifted up his shirt to expose his entire stomach. "Right here."

Hank put his hand where he could see the kicks and soon felt them in their strength. "Wow. It's been so long since I felt a baby kicking. It's still incredible."

"And tiring."

"You two should go to bed." He pulled back his hand and stepped aside so Connor could leave the kitchen. "I'll take care of things in the morning so you can sleep in."

"Thank you for helping me."

Returning to his bedroom Connor laid down very slowly and felt his entire belly shift and slosh as the expanded bio-component adjusted to the added fluid and his stomach processed the added thirium. More kicks shook Connor's belly and the deviant continued to rub his hand over the top of his belly.

"Hank will take good care of you. I won't be far away so I know I'll be able to watch you grow up and in time I'll be able to explain why I didn't keep you as my own child."

Another kick pushed against his palm.

"It's not anything personal. I simply do not know how to raise a baby but Hank does."

More kicks.

"I do love you on a level I can't explain but it's better this way."

A firmer kick made Connor's entire belly stretch upward and his shirt roll up a little high over his stomach and up toward his chest.

"Please don't make it any harder than it is. I'm not interfacing with you so I can say goodbye, I'm doing it so you can understand my choices."

The baby seemed to understand and settled down a little.

"You'll understand in time." Rubbing both hands over his large belly Connor stared at his round bump and whispered. "Maybe I will too."

**-next chapter-**


	5. Error

At thirty one weeks along Connor's belly was almost painful big as he neared his eighth month and already looked due. Scared of the Cyber Life clinic technicians who seemed to be completely indifferent to the fate of the unborn android babies made Connor refuse to go to a clinic for another check up. Hiding out in his bedroom Connor laid on his back and kept a hand on his larger belly where his stretching synthetic skin was peeking out between his t shirt and his sweatpants, and he interfaced with the kicking baby still growing inside his uteran bio-component.

"Please stop squirming so much."

The baby just kicked again and seemed to be kicking harder than usual.

"I can't do anything to allow you to be born quicker."

"Connor you need to make sure everything is still going okay." Hank all but demanded as he entered the bedroom to check on the pregnant android. "I get you hate Cyber Life and don't like being seen like you are right now, but it's important."

"My system hasn't found any errors. Everything is fine."

"Your system can you tell what's going on with the baby's system too?"

"Actually... No."

"You need to let a technician run an exam on the baby then."

"Is there something worrying you?"

"Yeah, you."

"Why me?"

"Connor you're pretty damn big and you still have about nine weeks to go! I'm worried that something is wrong with you or the baby that's making you so damn big."

Pressing his hand firmer against his belly Connor interfaced with the baby and tried to communicate with it but was only met with more kicks. "I don't want Cyber Life near this baby. I don't trust them."

"What if I can find someone who doesn't work for Cyber Life and got them to come here?"

"...That would be acceptable."

"Okay! I'll go make a few calls." Hank handed Connor a pouch of thirium before he left the room. "Drink that and keep resting."

Connor took the pouch of thirium and greedily tore away the top with his teeth before he downed the blue liquid. "Regardless of what I can and cannot do as a future parent no longer matters. Clearly Hank will be a good father for you."

* * *

Two hours after making a few phone calls Hank let Josh into the house as the kind technician agreed to give Connor a quick check up. Carrying a portable kit for android prenatal health and diagnostics Josh walked into Connor's bedroom to aid his ally. Josh too was now sporting a small baby bump as he had also chosen to take on an android embryo to assist another android who was expecting twins.

"Hi Connor."

"Josh. Thank you for coming."

"It sounded urgent and from what I can see I understand where that urgency was coming from."

"Am I truly that big?"

"Considering you're not even eight months pregnant yeah, you're really that big."

"Is it dangerous?"

"It can be." Putting his kit down on the bed Josh motioned for Connor to lift his shirt. "I'm going to check the baby's size."

"Okay." Connor pulled up his shirt to reveal his full term sized belly and tried not to blush. The line around his now fully popped out belly button was a darker shade of blue and stretching more vertically from top to bottom.

Josh used a small ultra sound to scan Connor's giant stomach and looked at the growing and kicking baby inside. "Hm, the baby is already full term in size but the software is still developing."

"Why is the baby so big already?"

"...It looks like there's an error in the software."

"Error?" Connor's hand flew to his belly and pressed down hard. "Is it serious?"

"Not really but it needs to be patched."

"Can you do it?"

"Yes. But I need to get direct access to the baby to do it."

"...How?"

"Retract your synthetic skin nearest the baby's head. I can insert a cable through your uteran bio-component and into the baby's LED port to upload the patch."

"What is the patch going to do?" Connor removed his skin. "What is the error?"

"The error is regarding the baby's ability to recognize thirium volume and reserve level. It doesn't know how much thirium it needs and has been engorging on it which is why it's so big already."

"The baby didn't know when to stop consuming thirium?"

"That's right. This patch will correct the error and it'll stop it from growing too much bigger by the time your labor initiates."

"How much bigger do you think it'll get?"

"I can't say." Josh put the cable through a small artificially created hole in the side the exposed bio-component and connected it to the baby's LED port by using the ultra sound as a guide. "The baby is already nine pounds and four ounces. If it gets too much bigger you might need to go to a Cyber Life clinic and have an emergency c section."

"No. I refuse to let Cyber Life near the baby."

"Then you can come to New Jericho. We modified the old church to double as a sanctuary and treatment clinic for deviant androids."

"Thank you." Connor watched the ultra sound monitor as Josh finished downloading the patch and detached the cable from the baby's LED port. "Is that all?"

"Yeah. The baby's software error has been corrected."

"And it's still healthy?"

"Yeah. Aside the error your baby is still very healthy."

Connor let out a sigh as he replaced his synthetic skin over his stomach and pulled his shirt back down. Rubbing his hand over his belly Connor was met with another kick that was visible as the kick made his entire belly bulge at an odd angle.

"Wow. I can't wait until my own baby starts to kick."

"Trust me. It'll get old fast."

"I'll check on you later if you want. Okay?"

"Yes. Thank you for your help."

Josh packed up his kit and walked out of the bedroom to take his leave. Not long after Josh left the house Hank went into the bedroom to check in on Connor.

"Everything okay?"

"Yes. You were right to want an exam on the baby."

"What's going on?"

"There was an error with the baby's software and he consuming too much thirium."

"...He?"

"Oh. Yes. The baby is a boy."

Hank smiled at the news. "It's going to be nice to have a little boy running around the house again."

Keeping his hand on his belly Connor just felt the baby kicking and squirming about. "I'll take your word for it."

**-next chapter-**


	6. Labor

Five more weeks of growing and kicking had left Connor feeling rundown. Sitting on his bed with his shirt pulled up to reveal his swollen stomach the android pressed his hand down over the dome of synthetic skin and interfaced with the baby squirming just under his touch.

"You will be born in one more month. Please be patient."

A strong kick under his palm made Connor grit his teeth as the baby was getting strong enough to cause actual pain when he kicked hard enough.

"I'm not thrill about this either. Once you're born you'll be well taken care of by Hank and won't be cooped up inside my belly all day long."

Watching the baby kick and squirming under his skin made Connor anxious at the idea of giving birth. The baby was full term in size at barely seven months of gestation and despite the patch being installed to correct his growing error Connor knew he had still grown in the past five weeks. He'll keep growing until the baby is born and the bigger the baby the harder the birth.

"Hey Connor." Hank stopped by the bedroom and leaned into the doorframe. "Markus and North have both gone into labor."

"They have?"

"Yeah I got a call from Josh a minute ago. They went to the house where Markus used to live with that painter guy to give birth. Want to go to the house for moral support and to get an idea of what you're in for?"

Connor looked down at his large stomach and swallowed once nervously. "That is a good idea."

It was a struggle to stand upright but Connor managed and pulled his shirt back down. "Let's go."

"Fuck you're big!"

"I know that."

"Maybe you should stay here and rest."

"I'd rather move around. It might get things in motion."

"You still have a month to go."

"As big as I am I don't think I should wait."

"Well wait until the end of the day before you decide if you want to induce labor or not. Let's go."

* * *

Waddling into the large house Connor walked with noted difficulty as he and Hank went to the house to check in on Markus and North. Sitting down heavily in the living room of the house Connor let out a tired breath and rubbed his hand over his belly as the baby kicked rapidly.

Hank watched as Markus and North held hands and paced about the studio on the back patio holding hands and rubbing their full term bumps in anticipation of labor.

"They're about the same size." He noticed. "Guess that makes sense since the babies are twins."

"I can't imagine carrying two at one time. This is very uncomfortable."

"It was smart on Markus's part to let North carry one while he kept the other."

"Josh has also chosen to carry a twin to keep another android from enduring a more difficult pregnancy."

"Where is Josh?"

"Right here." The deviant announced. "I needed to get a few supplies to help with the birth."

Connor looked as Josh's slightly grown bump and sighed. "Supplies?"

"In case there's a complication."

"Like what?"

"The babies could get stuck in the birth canal and need assistance in getting out. Or Markus and North could bleed heavily and need blue blood. Looking at your size," Josh was obviously worried about how big Connor had grown. "you're going to need help. It's a good thing you're here so you can see what labor and delivery is really like."

"That's what Hank said."

"Hank is right."

Hank agreed. "It's about time someone noticed that."

Simultaneously Markus and North stopped pacing and breathed through a contraction and rubbed their hands over their bumps.

"I think they need to go lay down now." Hank suggested.

"I agree." Josh replied as he walked over to his two laboring friends. "Could you help?"

"Yeah. Connor stay on the couch and don't strain yourself."

Hank helped Markus to walk out of the studio and toward the ground floor guest room and Josh did the same for North. Connor just watched as his two laboring friends waddled into the bedroom in great pain and leaned heavily on Hank and Josh for support.

"This isn't going to be fun." Connor told his unborn baby kicking in his belly. "You take it easy on me and I'll deliver you as quickly as I can."

Another kick was the only answer he got.

* * *

Nine hours of heavy labor exhausted Markus and North as they laid side by side on the bed and held each other's hands. With their free hands over their impressive baby bumps the two deviants allowed Hank and Josh to help them sit upright in more comfortable positions and help remove their baggy maternity pants so they could give birth properly.

"I'm going to check you both." Josh knelt down on the bed and awkwardly shifted his weight over his own bump as he lifted up the sheet to check first North and then Markus. "North you're fully dilated. Markus you're at eight centimeters. Looks like your daughter is going to be the eldest of the twins."

"That's fine by me..." North already sounded exhausted. "Let's do this!"

Markus tightened his hand around North's and held tight. "I love you!"

Josh took his position to help deliver the baby and Hank stepped outside of the bedroom to check on Connor. What he hadn't expected to see was Connor standing up and leaning heavily against the back of the couch in the living room.

"Connor North is- What's wrong?"

"I just needed to stand up." Connor's belly hung painfully heavy off his previously slender frame. "It was hurting my back."

"Are you going into labor too?"

"No. My system confirms that I haven't even begun to dilate."

"TMI Connor. You want to come in and watch and being moral support?"

"Uh... Won't I be in the way?"

"Only if you get in between their legs!"

"I didn't plan on doing that."

"Just come in here and let North hold your hand while she pushes. She and Josh will do all the work."

"And you?"

"I'll be keeping an eye on Markus."

"Okay. I'm coming."

Putting his hand to the small of his back Connor straightened up and winced as his engorged belly continued to bob up and down with each step he took.

"On three North you need to push." Josh instructed. "One, two... three!"

North began to push with all her strength and crushed Markus's hand in the process. As she stopped pushing Connor took her other hand and let her squeeze on his own hand too.

"Good! Push again."

North held her breath and pushed and felt her daughter descending down lower into her birth canal and hated every painful second of it. Markus was still laboring and getting closer to giving birth right beside her.

Hank stood beside Markus and put his hand down on the laboring deviant's shoulder. "Hey you're about to be a father twice. How do you feel?"

"Big!" Markus laughed. "Guess I could've been bigger though!"

"Hang in there. It's almost over and then you'll have your babies."

North screamed a little as she pushed again and felt her baby slipping closer to being born. "This sucks!"

Connor just let North squeeze his hand and he didn't say a word. Seeing his friends in so much pain and seeing them struggling to just finish what they started was making his nervous. Feeling his baby kicking and shifting his weight to rest lower inside his massive belly that was peeking out from under his thick hoodie was now suddenly disturbing.

"Push again!"

North did as she was told and gave a strong push that held coax the unborn baby down even further toward being born.

"You're going great! Another big push!"

North pushed and pushed until she felt a new pressure and let out a yelp.

"I can see her head North. Small push and I'll guide out her head."

Connor couldn't bear to look as Josh coaxed out the head and encouraged North to push again.

"Push!"

North repeated the pushing motion and yelped again as the baby's head passed through and the shoulders began to emerge one at a time.

"Come on North! One more big push!"

Pushing with all her might North managed to finally give birth to her daughter and was rewarded by a shrill scream.

"She's here!"

Hank patted Markus's shoulder as he watched Josh swaddle the newborn android baby up in a towel and detach the umbilical cord from the squirming newborn's belly to free her from North's system. "Congrats. She's beautiful."

"I have a daughter." Markus let out a pain groan as his belly contracted and squeezed without mercy. "...I think my son wants to be born too!"

North began to cry tears of joy as she took her daughter from Josh's arms and held her against her chest. "She's perfect! Flawless... Like a diamond."

Markus agreed but didn't have time to say anything he felt another contracting pushing his son down lower into his own birth canal. North took Markus's hand in her own again and squeezed tight.

"Okay Markus." Josh moved over to take care of him next. "You know what to do. Push!"

Connor glanced over at the sight of the newborn baby crying and squirming in North's arms and was met with a warning on his own condition.

[Labor beginning in 20:00. Postpone?]

Connor chose to postpone the event and was met with another warning.

[Gestation period 97% completion. Postponing labor not advised.]

Connor tried to override the command but had yet another warning.

[Uteran bio-component capacity 103%. Expanding uteran bio-component capacity?]

Confirming the expansion Connor closed his eyes and held his hand to his stomach as he felt his already engorged womb expand by another 15% to give the baby more room to grow and to stretch out the bio-component to prevent contractions from taking place. Seeing that his belly had grown enough to smooth out the few folds of the hoodie fabric over his massive dome Connor knew he wouldn't be able to get up without someone noticing the growth.

"Push!"

Markus groaned as he too began to push and work to deliver his son.

It was all a blur for Connor as he watched the newborn in North's arms and watched Markus laboring heavily to get the second baby out. With each push the baby descending quickly and soon enough the room was filled with more crying.

"And here's your son!" Josh smiled and swaddled up the second baby.

Hank heartily congratulated both new parents and watched with fascination as Josh cleaned up and passed the second newborn over to Markus to hold.

"They're both beautiful. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks Lieutenant." Markus sighed as he held his son and looked over at his daughter. "This feels amazing."

Connor felt sick.

"Do you need us to do anything for you?"

"N-No. Thanks for being here. It made it easier to have friends with us."

"You're welcome." Hank noticed that Connor looked uneasy and focused on the still pregnant deviant. "Maybe I should get Connor home so he can rest."

Markus and North looked over at Connor and agreed. Labor and delivery was exhausting and they didn't want their friend to be too tired to give birth.

"Come on Connor." Grabbing onto the deviant's hand Hank pulled Connor to his feet. "Shit. Did you get even bigger?"

"...I'm fairly close to my due date. I'm going to keep growing until I give birth."

"Easy. It was a joke."

"Sorry."

"Let's get you back home so you can take that weight off your back. Just watching your walk and stand is hurting me."

* * *

Connor was laying on his back in his bed once more. Unable to keep his t shirt over his enlarged stomach thanks to the last growth spurt Connor stared at his distended belly button poking out from under the hem of his shirt and stared in fear.

"I can't do it."

The baby began kicking and squirming again and Connor felt all the more scared."

"I can't go through that kind of pain."

Another warning popped up in his field of vision and again Connor postponed his body's attempt to go into labor.

"I'm sorry but I can't do it."

More kicks and squirms made Connor feel like his belly was actually going to pop.

"It won't be easy but you can survive inside my belly. I'll keep a steady flow of thirium connected directly to you."

The idea of remaining pregnant was scary but not as scary as giving birth.

Rolling onto his side Connor's belly all but flopped over and gurgled as he stood up and grabbed the tape measure sitting on his desk. Wrapping the tape around his belly he measure again.

"Forty six inches. This is too big."

A strong kick pushed away the tape measure.

"...And if I stay pregnant we're both only going to get bigger."

More gurgling and growling in his stomach made Connor drop the tape measure.

"I need more thirium."

Waddling out of his bedroom Connor walked into the kitchen and made a move to the cabinet above the counter. As he reached he felt his large belly push against the surface of the counter and actually keep him from reaching the cabinet.

"Oh no..."

"What's wrong?" Hank walked in through the back door with Sumo.

"...I can't reach."

"I'll get it." Hank handed Connor a pouch of thirium and watched the deviant down it greedily. "Are you sure you're not in labor?"

"Yes. I haven't had any contractions and my thirium membrane is still intact. Why do you keep asking?"

"Because you're bigger than both Markus and North and they just gave birth!"

"I know. I was there."

"Connor I think you should go to Cyber Life and let them perform a c section."

"No. I don't trust them."

"What about Jericho?"

"I don't... I don't know."

"You're scared."

Connor's hand rested on top of his massive stomach. "I am."

"Everyone is scared. It's okay to be scared."

"I'm a detective. I should be fearless."

"Not when childbirth is involved."

"So what do I do?"

"Take a deep breath and try not worry. Life has been on this planet for billions of years. It all has to get here one way or another."

"That doesn't help."

"Maybe some sleep will."

"Maybe."

"You're due in four weeks so I'll tell Fowler I'm off until after you deliver. You won't be alone."

"Thanks."

"Go get some sleep. I'll check on you later."

Connor finished his thirium and waddled back into his bedroom. As he sat down on his bed he heard the bedframe creak and he felt the waistband of his sweatpants get pushed down as his large belly applied weight against it. It was beginning to drop.

"No." Laying on his back Connor used his hands and physically hefted his belly back up higher and overrode his system's attempt to begin labor. "Not yet."

* * *

The four weeks had gone by without incident and Connor kept growing. With his belly now at forty eight inches he looked massive and ready to explode at any moment. Ignoring the warnings and prompts for labor Connor just put up with his increasing belly size and stronger kicks from the baby.

It was six in the evening and Hank had just taken Sumo for a walk.

Rubbing his hand over his belly Connor sighed and again dismissed a prompt only to have his override command overridden.

[Warning. Uteran bio-component 118% capacity. Pressure too high.]

"No. I won't do it!"

Unable to override the command again Connor felt his belly shift back down and was met with an angry gurgle as the pressure inside his belly began to mount as the uteran bio-component expanded slightly then contracted.

"AH!" Connor loudly yelped and clutched at his stomach. "No!"

Too big to hold the baby in any longer Connor had no choice but to deliver.

"I can't do this!"

Rubbing his hands over his belly Connor tried to push it back up higher again but this time it wouldn't budge. The baby was too low and already in position to begin descending.

"...I'm not ready! I can't do this!"

The front door opened and shut as Hank returned with Sumo. "Hey Connor. How do you feel?"

"...Large."

"Are you okay? You look sick."

"Androids don't get sick."

"Why's your LED red?"

"My stomach is very big and is straining my back."

"I know you don't trust Cyber Life but tomorrow I'm taking you to a clinic to have the technicians help you deliver."

"No!"

"Connor you're due and you aren't showing any signs of labor. That's very dangerous for both of you."

"But I-"

"You can't change my mind on this one Connor. I'll bring you some thirium and then I'm going to bed. I want to get up early so you can get taken care of as soon as possible."

Connor glanced down at his belly and eyed his belly button that was now fully exposed thanks to his growing and new shape of his dropped belly now showing it off in all its glory. A weak gurgle sounded off as his uteran bio-component struggled to properly contract and push the baby down after it had been stretched to a dangerous capacity.

"Drink this." Hank handed Connor the pouch of thirium and stepped back through the doorway. "I'll see you in the morning."

Connor rubbed his hands over his massive stomach and felt the baby kicking and stretching in all directions under his palms.

"...I'm going to have a baby."

**-next chapter-**


	7. The Birth

Against his will Connor fell into the early stages of labor and began timing his progress down to the millisecond. It was just past six o'clock in the evening when Connor's first contractions first began, and it was now creeping up to midnight at a painfully slow pace. Stifling a groan to keep Hank from hearing his pain as he rubbed both hands over his full term and very due pregnant belly slowly. Using his fingers her tried to massage the synthetic muscles as they steadily contracted and relaxed in a steadily increasing rhythm Connor timed each contraction and monitored the location of the baby as he descended further into the birth canal.

"Don't do this to me." Connor begged as he rubbed his belly and felt each squirm and kick the baby delivered to the contracting bio-component. The red glow of his LED gave his bedroom an ominous color. "I can't handle this and I don't want to have to go through it."

Another contraction cut him off and he pressed his hands down firmer against his belly as he breathed through the pain as much as he could.

"...Twenty minutes apart." Noting the time at twelve o'four in the morning Connor breathed slowly and deeply, watching his massively engorged belly rise and fall with each breath he took, and knew it wouldn't be too much longer before he gave birth. "This is awful! I just want my life back."

Feeling the baby shifting around and hearing his engorged stomach gurgle as the weight moved and his bio-component squeezed was only making Connor feel all the more anxious and afraid.

Suddenly too hot where he was laying Connor pulled up his shirt to fully expose his too big belly and watched as the next contraction visibly squeezed his belly down in a painful muscle spasm that held for almost thirty seconds. The massive contraction was more painful than anything Connor experienced and he let out a quiet moan in protest.

Almost as an instinct Connor rolled his hips a little and arched his back to shift the weight down more centrally toward his pelvis as the baby dropped down even lower courtesy of the painful contraction.

Remembering how much Markus and North screamed out in pain when they were giving birth Connor grabbed his leather wallet from the nearby nightstand and put it between his teeth to bite down on to keep himself from screaming out too.

More gurgling and strong series of squirming kicks made Connor wince. A strong pressure began to build up inside his belly and shortly thereafter a sudden gush of fluids escaped his body between his legs. Struggling to look past his gravid belly Connor saw the blue thirium stain forming on his sweatpants and he knew his thirium membrane had ruptured.

"...My water broke." He muttered around the wallet in his mouth.

Awkwardly Connor used his hands to push down the waistband of his sweatpants and his strategically moved his legs about to slid the sweatpants down and away from himself. Kicking off the sweatpants Connor repeated the motion for his boxers in order to be completely exposed on the blue stained sheets as he neared his baby's birth.

Keeping both hands on his belly as the contractions became faster and stronger Connor breathed slowly and deeply to keep himself calm. The baby continued to kick and squirm throughout his entire labor and made Connor all the more uncomfortable in the process. Rolling from his back and onto his side Connor tried to curl around his laboring stomach but it was far too big to seek such a comforting pose.

As one in the morning neared Connor's contractions had increased and were barely fifteen minutes apart. He knew he'd be giving birth soon and there was nothing he could do to stop it or reverse what was happening to him. Ignoring the sound of Sumo whimpering outside his door Connor rolled onto his back again and saw that his belly was much lower and seemed to have taken on an ovular shape as well as shrunk due to the baby sitting lower and further back against his core rather than against his skin.

"I don't think I can do this!"

A loud gurgle made Connor groan and he bit down on his wallet again as a crushing contraction squeeze his belly for all its worth.

Pulling himself up slightly Connor put a pillow under his lower back and angled himself in a more recline position as he tried to held the baby get into the proper position for delivery. There was no going back now.

Fighting to endure the pain Connor felt a pressure beginning to build up against his pelvis as a massive weight settled down in his core. The baby was finally in position and descending even further.

Connor downloaded all the information he needed to know regarding his labor, the delivery and resulting birth and knew everything was progressing normally, and yet he was still scared. The fact that he had been forced into caring for an unwanted child that he had no say in carrying or had any interest in keeping was already emotional draining; but experiencing such horrible physical pain was making everything a hundred times worse.

"...H-Hank has everything set up." Connor told himself between the contractions that crushed his belly so much he swore he was going to snap right in half. "The crib is... in the livingroom. He has..." Another burning contraction was stealing his voice as the pressure continued to build. "purchased everything... an android infant... needs."

Letting out a low groan of pain Connor rocked his hips even more and felt a horrible burning pressure welling up at the exit of his recently developed birth canal. A warning popped up in his visual sensors telling him it was time to start pushing, and the warning would tell him when to begin and for how long to push as the contractions continued to bombard his exhausted body.

Propping himself up on his elbows Connor planted his feet on the mattress and brought his knees up to his chest as he bore down and began to push as hard as he could to move his large baby down away from his large stomach and into the world. Pushing until the contraction ended Connor breathed deeply to keep his core from getting too hot and listened to Sumo pawing at his closed bedroom door.

As the next contraction started Connor's entire body tensed and his belly gurgled with pressure as the baby slipped further down and he pushed again. With his toes curling over the mattress and his fists grabbing onto the sides of his mattress in a deathgrip Connor bit down hard on the wallet and pushed for as long as he could and as hard as he could.

Stifling a yelp of pain Connor felt the baby's pressing against the exit of his birth canal and knew the head would be crowning soon. Breathing quickly he prepared for the worst and pushed again as soon as he was prompted to do so.

The pressure and burning pain was something he had never felt before and he fell onto his back against his pillows. Pushing down on his stomach with both of his hands Connor tried to push out the baby with everything he had and end his torment. Another gush of fluids accompanied the baby's head as it popped forward and the large baby was beginning to finally exit.

Groaning in pain and breathing rapidly Connor forced himself to sit upright again to use gravity to his advantage as he continued to push down against his still engorged, gurgling, contracting belly to force the baby's first shoulder out. It was a painfully tight fit as the baby was larger than average in size and Connor's model wasn't originally designed to bear children, let alone give birth to them.

"Please..." Connor begged as he struggled to push the large baby out of his body. "...End this."

With one finally hard push a massive residual gush of fluids erupted from within his no longer gurgling stomach as the baby made his grand entrance into the world in a tide of blue fluid onto the formerly white sheets.

Falling back against his pillow Connor stifled a pained whimper as he pressed down on his now smaller belly and tried to comprehend everything that had just happened to him. In pain, tired and overwhelmed Connor didn't know what to do until a weak cry began to fill his room. His eyes went wide as he lifted up his head to peer down over his chest and belly to the newborn android infant resting between his legs and on the stained sheets.

"...He's..." Sitting upright slowly as his body shook with pain and weakness Connor looked down at the newborn baby pathetically crying as his arms and legs flailed about in an uncoordinated manner. "...He's... my... baby?"

Throughout the entire unexpected pregnancy Connor never once thought about who the baby was, only what he was and how he was a physical burden to endure. Seeing him for the first time with his own eyes and hearing him crying was like a crushing brick to his head. The baby wasn't just an inconvenience or a glitch in his programming, it was a new life.

A new android.

"...I... I'm..." Connor's shaking hands reaching for the crying baby that was covered under a thin layer of blue fluid. "I'm so sorry!"

Picking up the baby Connor held him gently in both hands and then held him up against his chest.

"Connor?" Without even knocking Hank opened the bedroom door and saw that he wasn't mistaken. He had heard a baby crying. "HOLY SHIT."

"...He's... He's okay."

"Fuck! Why didn't you tell me you were in labor!?"

"...I... I don't... I don't know!"

"Shit!" Hank checked over the infant in Connor's hands and then Connor himself. The sight of all the blue blood staining the sheets made him feel sick. "I'm calling an ambulance to take you both to a facility. You lost a lot of blood."

"...I don't-"

"Stop. No arguing on this one."

"...I don't want Cyber Life near my son!"

Hank froze at the comment. For the first time since Connor learned of his pregnancy he had finally referred to the baby as his own. "...Well, you can't bleed like this without help."

"...New Jericho."

"Okay, that'll work." Hank left the bedroom to get towels out of the bathroom and Sumo came into the room to investigate the new baby in Connor's arms. "Get back Sumo." Carefully Hank wrapped a clean towel around the baby and watched as the thirium umbilical cord detached from the baby's now bellybutton on its own. "Can you walk?"

"...I can try."

"Let's get you cleaned up a little and out to the car."

"...Hank," Connor's voice was shaking and he was staring at the newborn's face. "I just had a baby."

"I know, Connor." Using another towel Hank wiped off Connor's legs and his lower belly and then left the towel draped over Connor's lap to spare his dignity. "And you did good."

"...I said that I'd sign him over to you to be adopted but..."

"Connor don't worry about that right now. You're overwhelmed and tired, we'll figure things out after we get you to New Jericho."

* * *

During the drive Connor held the newborn in his arms and stared down at his face with awe. It wasn't until after Josh and Simon at New Jericho were able to help Connor into the shelter's technical wing did Connor finally lose consciousness from his thirium loss and fall asleep. Awaking three hours later dressed in a solid white android hospital gown with a thirium line inserted into his nose, down his throat and into his stomach Connor was confused and looking for the newborn baby he had just delivered.

"Where is he?!"

"Hank is holding your son." Simon confirmed. "All things considered he's perfectly healthy and functioning normally."

"I want to see him."

"Alright. I'll tell Hank you're awake now."

Connor pressed his hand down on his much smaller stomach and winced as the pressure ached his sore synthetic muscles. He still had a paunch over his normally slim frame but it would disappear entirely over the next two days.

"Connor." Hank walked over to the bed were the android was resting and showed Connor his newborn son. "Glad you woke up."

"...He's normal?"

"Yes." Showing Connor the newborn baby boy swaddled in the white blanket with a white hat over his head. "They gave him a complete exam and confirmed he's okay. A little bigger than average but healthy."

"...Can I...?"

"He's your son. Here, hold him."

Connor was a little hesitant to accept the newborn but he didn't want to shy away now. As the baby was settled into his arms and against his chest Connor felt a sense of peace, warmth and love spread over his heart.

"...I don't think... I can... give him up."

"You don't have to. He's your son and you get to decide what's best for him."

"You're not offended or hurt that I won't sign him over to you for adoption?"

"Not at all. You're both still going to be living in my house so I'll still be able to help out and show you what it's like to be a father. And through him I get to feel what it's like to be a grandfather."

"You're going to let us stay?"

"Why in the hell would I kick you out?"

"...Because it's your house and we're the guests."

"No you're my roommates. It's cool."

"Thank you Hank."

"So..." Hank admired his new honorary grandson as he settled into Connor's arms and opened his big brown eyes. The same brown eyes that Connor bore. "What's his name?"

"...I haven't thought about names."

"Now's the time."

"What do I pick?"

"Whatever name you like! I picked 'Cole' after hours of scouring through names and holding him in my arms. You'll know it when it comes to you."

Connor stared at his newborn son as the baby stared up at him and he smiled kindly. "Axel. It means 'the vessel of life'."

"Axel, huh? Well I know he won't be mistaken for every other Axel in the city."

"Axel Cole."

"...You want to name him after Cole?"

"Yes. It... It seems like the right thing to do."

"Thanks son." Hank put his hand on Axel's hand and held it lightly. "Welcome to the world Axel. It's a weird place but you can handle it."

"...Son." Connor repeated the term and held the baby even closer. "I have a son too."

**-The End**


End file.
